Item 01: Malcolm Shore Stanley correspondence, 8 December 1916-28 October 1918 - Page 136
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[Page 136]
to the folks in my billet, telling them of Australia & the farms. It is interesting to watch their faces when they learn of their size, here the cultivation is intense, they thresh the crop with horse mills, it looks funny at first, they churn the butter with "dog wheels", a dog carts it to market etc, they can pull a fair load too. I do simply love to wander round these french houses, they are awfully interesting and away back here the people are very kind. Of course I can't understand all they say but gradually it will come, they speak slowly & give one a chance. I'm already interpreter for the company & can fix up little odds & ends. The furniture is simple, frequently very old, carpets are almost unknown. I would like to roam round here after the war, with enough money to purchase a few odd things, old plates adorn the shelves & walls, real bonsers they are too. Many of the people are refugees from Belgium. Was speaking to the school master a few days ago he hasn't heard from his son & wife - they are in Germany - for 3 years - pretty solid.
The weather is turning cold & I guess by the time you receive this we'll be down below zero & what is more back in the line, where, I do not know, anyway it can't be worse than our last "where", 3 stunts in 10 days means hard going, often I come